God’s most beautiful and powerful scattering was accomplished in the New Testament times following Jesus’ resurrection.
But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” Acts 1:8
Jesus spoke prophetically about the people group and the places the disciples were going to minister in. He didn’t give them a strategy on how they were going to achieve it. He didn’t break them up in groups and send them to different locations. He simply stated that they were going to be His witnesses in Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, and to the end of the earth.
The disciples’ idea of preaching the Good News would have been limited to the people of their own ethnicity, religion, and culture. Their thinking would have been that the Messiah was only coming for His treasured possession, the Jewish people! Reaching Gentiles could have even been offensive since they were considered unclean to Jewish people.
Praise God that He is not a respecter of persons and has no partiality! Jesus’ prophetic words and His ways of accomplishing them went far above and beyond their understanding. In Acts 2, we see Peter and other disciples being baptized with the Holy Spirit. The Lord filled them with the Holy Spirit and then broke through their religious and ethnic prejudices to reach the world!
Then the word of God spread, and the number of the disciples multiplied greatly in Jerusalem, and a great many of the priests were obedient to the faith. Acts 6:7
At that time a great persecution arose against the church which was at Jerusalem; and they were all scattered throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria, except the apostles….Therefore those who were scattered went everywhere preaching the word. Then Philip went down to the city of Samaria and preached Christ to them. And the multitudes with one accord heeded the things spoken by Philip, hearing and seeing the miracles which he did. Acts 8:1, 4-6
The persecution hit the newly planted church and as a result people were scattered. Hallelujah! Multitudes were saved in Samaria due to Philip going down there because of the persecution that broke out.
Through a vision God spoke to Peter and told him that the message of the cross needs to be preached to the Gentiles. No longer were they going to be considered inferior or unclean because of their ethnicity.
Cornelius and his household were the first Gentile family that were saved and filled with the Holy Spirit (See Acts 10). This experience opened the door to other Gentiles and nations to be reached and transformed by the Gospel.
Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, to the strangers scattered throughout Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia, 1Peter 1:1 (KJV)
Peter went to areas where it is modern day Turkey and preached Christ there. The tradition believes that Thomas went as far as India and preached Christ to all the nations in between Israel and India. Paul after his conversion went as far as Rome and continued to minister to the Gentiles wherever he was sent or imprisoned.
I am of Assyrian heritage. Before the coming of Jesus, Assyrians were pagans and for the most part idol worshippers. Praise God for Thomas and other apostles who were willing to travel to those areas (Modern day countries of Iraq and Iran) and preach the good news to my people group!
God’s plan through the Great Commission was beautifully fulfilled as the people of God were persecuted and as a result had to scatter! They literally went out to the outer part of the earth (known at that time) and preached Christ!
The early church was ready and available to preach the gospel wherever they landed. They didn’t feel sorry for themselves or perceived themselves as victims. On the contrary, they seized the opportunity to preach Christ knowing that they could be the only light shining in their part of the world! Praise God for His purpose through scattering!
Are you being separated from your family and friends? Have you sought the Lord and His will in your situation? Are you ready and available to be a light wherever God sends you?